What is Cold Processed Soap?
A Soaphisticated way to be clean
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, tasked with protecting your delicate insides from the elements. It is also highly absorbent, making it a significant gateway into the bloodstream. The lotions, soaps, and deodorants that we expose ourselves to on a daily basis may contain toxic fragrances and synthetic chemicals that we definitely don’t welcome with open arms.
At SOAPhisticated, LLC, we are committed to making sure our bodies are nourished only by revitalizing, beneficial ingredients. SOAPhisticated incorporates 100% pure essential oils through a cold-processed soap method to ensure all the aromatherapeutic benefits are left intact. In addition, we also plump up our soap with extra vegetable-based fats to ensure these “superfats” provide the extra moisturizing qualities we all love.
The Slippery Slopes of Making Soap
It may surprise you to know that The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) highly regulates what can and cannot constitute “soap.” To be categorized as “soap” by the FDA, a product must be composed mainly of the material gained from combining fats or oils with an alkali, such as lye. The cleaning action must be done entirely as a result of that material. This is why many commercial brands avoid the word “soap,” instead using terms like “beauty bar” or “moisturizing bar.” In fact, many conventional products are nothing more than harsh detergents doused with a pleasant odor. The cleaning action strips the body of all oils through synthetic chemical ingredients. Where is the glycerin produced in soap-making operations? It is removed. But you can find it in a nearby store aisle, placed inside lotions and moisturizers. Commercially produced soap dries out your skin, so you need yet another product to replace the moisture the soap destroyed. And the same company sells you both. Sounds like a slippery piece of marketing.
Cold-Processed Soaps by Artisans
In stark contrast to the quick, assembly-line, hot process for manufacturing commercial ‘soap’ products, SOAPhisticated’s cold-processed soaps are made from scratch in small batches under artisan conditions. The cold-processing form of soap making uses an excess of fat, beyond that which is needed to consume the lye, with the glycerin left intact to perform its role as moisturizer.
Cold-processed soap is made by mixing sodium hydroxide (lye) with water, blending it with fatty oils, and adding essential oils and natural colorants like clays. They are then poured into molds and allowed to sit for 24 hours to saponify. Once removed from the mold, they dry for an additional 24 hours before being cut into individual bars of soap. Over the next 4-6 weeks, the soap “cures,” as all the lye breaks down the oils into their cleansing chains, and water is slowly evaporated, leaving a gentle, firm bar of soap. When cold-processing soap, the fatty acids of the oils are broken down by the lye. They then form a chain which, on one end loves water, and on another end, loves oil. The oil-loving end grabs on to the dirt and grime, and the water-loving end hangs on to the water that rinses it all away.
There are no harmful substances in SOAPhisticated cold-processed soaps. That means no sulfates or parabens, no BHA or BHT. We like to say, we only use ingredients our consumers can pronounce. Just naturally-processed soaps, artisan-made, and no confusing buzz words.